I consider the following to be a minimum requirement for personal protective equipment (PPE): Leather boots, leather gloves, safety glasses, and foam earplugs. I normally wear protective chaps, and a face screen with muffs. If overhead hazards exist, I’ll wear a hard hat with screen/muffs, and I prefer to have an extra pair of eyes looking out until things are grounded. If I am sawing alone, I like to keep a telephone handy, and I keep a basic first aid kit (mainly a Cederroth Bloodstopper dressing) on my belt. PPE is no replacement for common sense, but adds a layer of protection that can reduce the severity of an injury. Saw chains are pretty filthy, so even a nick might fester up. A current tetanus booster is a plus. Protective chaps or pants consist of several layers of finely stranded synthetic material, and are covered by coarse Cordura nylon. They function by winding around and stopping the saw’s drive mechanism, ideally before it gets to carving ones meat. If it’s successful in stopping the saw without injury, you’ll have a mess to clean up before the saw will function… On the other hand, if they fail, or are left hanging in the tool shed, someone else will have a mess to clean up, with no guarantees on functionality. 9-layer chaps are $75 approx, my BC&BS E.R. co-pay is $200, so it isn’t a hard choice for me.
Fatigue and dehydration are issues to be aware of… both have negative effects on clarity and judgment. Unless things are “an emergency,” if the sawyer finds they have slipped into a drone-zone, it’s wise to park the saw for the day, or at least take a break to stretch out, water up, maintain the saw, and regroup.
There is big change coming in the world of saws/OPE. OSHA has already forced the manufacturers to quiet the noise levels. EPA regulations on emissions and EU standards on vibration levels are requiring them to completely revamp their products to comply. Enhanced anti-vibe is not a bad thing, as it allows an operator to stay at the task longer and with less fatigue. The emission output targets have been in place since 2007, but companies were able to offset their sales of gross-polluters (typically larger pro saws sold in low numbers) with higher volume sales of clean & green equipment. This carbon credit offset, “cap in trade” deal is done in 2010.
Stihl has approached their solution with hybrid 4-stroke motors (4-Mix) for trimmers & blowers, and with “stratocharged” two-strokes that re-circulate some of the exhaust gas back into the combustion process. Their first available Strato saw is the MS441, but there are several smaller homeowner-grade saws hitting the shelves in various regions. They have also delved into self-adjusting carburetors that prevent an enthusiast/operator from monkeying with the fuel/air mixture settings. The whole lineup will very shortly be revamped to comply. Husqvarna and others have their own methods & solutions, including mufflers equipped with catalytic elements, and self-adjusting carbs.
As an unapologetic troglodyte, I like my loud toys loud, smoky, and dangerous. What these evolving regulations mean is that if one has a need or desire to purchase a new “old-tech” piece of equipment, 2009 is the time to get one. 2010 is bringing change we can believe in, so we can all look forward to holding hands under the rainbow, and tickling the happy trees with our eco-friendly chainsaws.
In summation, I hope this thread has covered the basics of selecting and caring for a chainsaw. I deliberately avoided much about technique, since I feel myself unqualified to offer anything beyond the basics. If one has an interest in learning more, the USFS offers various levels of sawyer training. I took a course to become certified as an apprentice sawyer. The course was held in Troy NC, and was which was geared towards off-road and equestrian enthusiasts doing volunteer trail clean-ups within the local National Forests. It was pretty basic in nature, but I managed to un-learn some bad habits, and it exposed me to quality pro-grade equipment.
I’d like to credit the ArboristSite.com chainsaw forum as my main source reference, along with thanking Andy N. aka Lakeside53 for copious topical wisdom and Lee B. aka Plant Biologist for helping with the editing of the text.
Some suggested sources for further subject knowledge include:
www.ArboristSite.com A great website for those working in the tree trades, or the unfortunate few who’ve been bitten by the saw bug.
www.Stihl.com High quality US and German-made OPE.
www.usa.husqvarna.com High quality Swedish-made OPE.
www.dolmarpowerproducts.com High quality German-made OPE, also sold under the Makita brand in different distribution channels.
www.usa.jonsered.com Sister company to Husqvarna, they share several models with some minor differences.
www.baileysonline.com Mail order/Internet saw parts, supplies, chains, climbing gear etc…founded by Bill Bailey, who was an old-school west-coast logger and US Paratrooper. It remains a family-owned and operated business, based in Laytonville, CA.
www.oregonchain.com Oregon, a manufacturer of saw chain, guide bars, and other allied products.
www.sawchain.com Carlton, another manufacturer of chain, bars etc…